The use of free weights to perform exercises is well known. Generally speaking, free weight exercises involve the repeated movement of a weight through a given motion. The health benefits of weight lifting are well known. In recent years, some free weight exercises have been replaced by the use of exercise machines. These machines generally attempt to emulate the motion of various free weight exercises. These machines can sometimes be used to emulate multiple weight lifting exercises using a single, compact machine. Such machines can also offer greater safety benefits such as preventing improper movements and dropped weights.
One such known exercise machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,666,124 B2, dated Feb. 23, 2010 (the “'124 Patent”). Briefly summarized, the '124 Patent provides an exercise machine comprising a moveable section connected to a frame such that the moveable section may be moved vertically along the frame and horizontally towards and away from the frame. In this way, the '124 Patent may better emulate the natural movement of some free weight exercises, such as but not limited to, a bicep curl.
In recent years, functional weight lifting exercises have also increased in popularity. These exercises are intended to better emulate real world, practical uses of the muscles by engaging multiple muscle groups when performing an exercise instead of isolating a particular muscle group. One might compare a bicep curl, which is intended to engage the bicep, with a chin-up, which engages the biceps, shoulders, and back muscles, among others. There is a desire to incorporate additional exercises, such as but not limited to functional exercises, with known exercise machines. However, such functional exercises generally require freedom of movement in multiple directions, which is not provided by many exercise machines. Even a traditionally isolating exercise, such as the bicep circle, when performed with free weights engages more functional muscles like those secondary muscles used to steady the weight. Traditional weight machines limit freedom of movement so as to not engage these secondary muscles. Therefore, what is needed is an exercise machine that emulates natural movements and increases freedom of movement for certain exercises in a compact machine.
What is provided is an exercise machine that emulates natural movements and increases freedom of movement for certain exercises in a compact machine. A frame may comprise a base section. A first and second vertical member may be attached to the base section and spaced apart from one another. A horizontal member may extend between the first and second vertical members. A moveable section may be mounted to the first and second vertical members and be configured for vertical movement along the same. The moveable section may likewise be configured for horizontal movement towards or away from the first and second vertical members. The moveable section may be connected to a resistance device to provide resistance.
The moveable section may be connected to the resistance device by way of a series of pulleys and cables. The pulleys and cables may be arranged and configured to provide two-way resistance (i.e., vertically upwards and vertically downwards) on the moveable section. The pulleys may be arranged in an alternating, horizontal stack arrangement so as to maintain tension on the moveable section.
A third and fourth vertical member may be attached to the base section and spaced apart from one another. The third and fourth vertical members may be placed closer to the user than the first and second vertical member though such is not required. A first and second functional device may be attached to each of the third and fourth vertical members, respectively. In exemplary embodiments, the first and second functional device may be a cable pulley device. The first and second functional device may also be connected to a resistance device to provide resistance.
The moveable section may comprise a first and second attachment point. The cable from the first and second functional device may be selectively attached to the first and second attachment point to increase the resistance on the moveable section.
A bracket may be attached to the base section. The bracket may be configured to mate with additional equipment, such as but not limited to, a bench.
An exercise bar may extend between the third and fourth vertical members. The exercise bar may be a chin up bar, dip bar, pull up bar, or the like.
Further features and advantages of the devices and systems disclosed herein, as well as the structure and operation of various aspects of the present disclosure, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.